In the Smile
by RosarioN
Summary: A Fluffy oneshot Chris revelation type thing. Born out of a random plot bunny. Be warned it is very cheesy!


**Disclaimer – I do not own charmed**

**a/n – **

**This is set when Piper is 6 months pregnant with Chris. Adult Chris has been lucky and not revealed his identity yet.**

**It's All in the Smile**

"will you guys just hurry it up!" Chris urged as Paige and Piper idly threw various ingredients into the potion pot. "and where is Phoebe?"

"just relax okay we're on it" Paige sushed him irritably "and Phoebe is at work, we can take this dude out with just the two of us"

"Piper" Chris attempted a plee to the usually more level headed older sister.

"Chris" Piper barely looked up as she continued chopping toad flaxen, "Wyatt was awake most of last night crying, for god only knows what reason. Then when I finally did get back to sleep, baby number 2 here discovered how much fun kicking mummy can be. As a result I have had precisely an hours sleep in the past 2 days. I could be down stairs having a nap right now taking advantage that Wyatt is with my dad, but I'm not, I'm here, awake, chopping stuff, so just be grateful for that alright!"

"You won't be saying that if this is the demon that turns Wyatt evil" He cautioned.

"It's not the demon that turns Wyatt evil though is it? According to the Book of Shadows, it's just another demon who likes to amalgamate witchs' powers by killing them, yaddah yaddah yaddah. In fact it's quite refreshing to have a demon coming after us for a change, instead of my son"

"That doesn't mean that you can underestimate the Galoon Demon, he has the power to spurt poison from his arms, a poison which…."

"…which can alter the genetic clock of whomsoever should come into contact with it, yes yes yes you told us" Paige replied. "Do you think I should where my new black skirt for my date tonight or is it just a little too slutty?"

"Not overly" Piper began adding the toad Flaxen to the now steaming pot "just as long as you don't break the cardinal rule, its either breasts or legs, but never both at once"

"true"

"Focus!" Chris raised his voice an octave "Otherwise.."

"..Otherwise you might be caught unawares, how dreadful" The Galoon demon flamed in behind them "Shame, it's always more fun when you put up a fight, but nevermind" He held out his hands, poison spurting from his upturned palms.

"NO!" In a heart beat Chris had leapt forward, throwing himself bodily between the demon and Piper. He just about managed to clumsily tk the half prepared potion toward the demon, before he was hit full force by the poison. Unfortunately , his reflexes being slightly too slow meant that Galoon had time to flame out before the potion reached him.

"so maybe we were slightly too relaxed" Paige commented as the two witches picked themselves up from the floor

"Yes Chris, we were wrong you were…right.." Piper turned to address the whitelighter, only to find that there was a dark haired toddler stood in his place. He was older than Wyatt, 2 ½ , perhaps 3 at the very oldest Piper estimated.

"Chris?" Piper goggled

"Uh-oh" Paige commented.

The little boy stumbled forward, tripped over the upturned potion pot and fell, grazing his knees.

He picked himself up and immediately burst into tears. "Mummy" he made his way blindly toward Piper, tears streaming down his face "Mummy it hurts." He stopped in front of her, lifting his arms upwards so that she could pick him up.

Piper, not perturbed by the fact that Chris had called her mummy, after all it meant nothing, most toddlers instinctively cried for their mothers when they were hurt, was snapped out of her reverie by the fact that there was a crying child in front of her, no matter who he might be, and her first instinct was to comfort him.

"Hey don't cry" she lifted him up gently , rubbing soothing circles on his back. "Paige can you go get some antiseptic wipes please?"

Almost immediately Chris seemed to relax, he settled himself into the crook of her arm, grabbed a fist full of her hair, wrapping it around his wrist like a security blanket, and popped his thumb in his mouth, which is how Paige found them when she returned to the attic a few minutes later.

"here" she brandished the wipes and 2 plasters."aw" she took in Chris, his head nestled on Pipers shoulder, his big green eyes still a little puffy from all the crying. "he is soo cute, and I am soo going to get some mileage out of this he when changes back."

"A little less conversation a little more action please" Piper sat down on a chair, bringing Chris round to sit on her lap "Come on sweetie" she paused, as she realised that she would never have imagined referring to their neurotic Whitelighter as 'sweetie.' "let Paige have a look at your knees"

"okay mummy" Chris replied in a small voice, while Piper shrugged her shoulders in response to Paige's quizzical look over the use of the term of endearment.

"It'll just hurt a little" Paige told him as she dabbed gently at his knees, before covering them with plasters "All better!" She pulled a funny face.

Chris giggled , 2 small dimples appearing in his cheeks. Paige and Piper felt their hearts melt, as Chris was, if nothing else, an absolutely adorable toddler.

"Hey Chris , can you give me a big smile" Paige asked, waving her camera phone in front of him

"What are you doing?" Piper asked

"Duh, taking a photo" came the reply.

"I know that! What for?"

"Pictorial evidence, to tease Chris with when he gets back to normal" She took the snap. "Perfect!" she looked at the photo, thinking of all the fun she could have.

Zooming in on the face she was struck with a sudden sense of deja vu, she was sure she had seen it before, but couldn't figure out where.

"earth to Paige, come in Paige" Piper called, settling Chris back on to the floor who immediately toddled over to Wyatt's toy table and sat down.

"sorry what?" Paige replied, looking up

"_I said_, do you think you could go fetch Chris a cookie for being such a good boy, while I look up a reversal spell in the book of shadows" Piper repeated.

"Yeah sure" Paige orbed out.

"what is she like" Piper spoke to herself. Sighing she grabbed the book of shadows and began to flick through the pages.

Down in the kitchen Paige had placed a cookie on one of Wyatt's blue plastic plates and was now waiting for the kettle to boil. She flipped her phone open and scrolled to the photo of Chris. The more she looked at it, the more certain she was that he reminded her of someone, it was that smile, it looked so familiar. Had she seen the face in the paper perhaps? On tv? She strolled into the lounge, on the coffee table lay the latest copy of the National Enquierer. "Celebrity Baby Special pg 5" read the banner.

"Ah –hah" Paige picked to the article "I knew it, perhaps he looks like Colin Farrell's son.." upon reaching the correct page she frowned as she realised that none of the famous offspring looked like Chris. "where was it?"

Hearing a whistling sound coming from the kitchen she deduced that the kettle was about to boil, she got up and was about to return to the kitchen when a tiny, 3 inch by 4 inch photo on the end of the mantle piece caught her eye. A studio portrait of Piper, age 3. _No, it couldn't be…._

Paige looked from her phone to the photo of Piper again. Taking it out of the frame, Paige placed a piece of paper over the hair, and another over the dress, so that only the face could be seen, she placed her phone next to it, and looked at the two images side by side. Apart from the obvious difference in eye colour, the two could have been twins. _Oh my god…_

"there you are!" Piper exclaimed when Paige returned to the attic 5 minutes later "what have you got there?" she indicated the bunch of items on the tray.

"wait and see" Paige handed Chris a cookie "there you go"

"Thanks" Chris replied, and happily began munching away.

Paige set the tray down. She picked up the picture of little Piper, she had completely covered the picture with post-it notes now, so that only the face from just beneath the eyes down wards could be seen, the rest, the neck, dress, hair and background having been blocked out. She handed the picture to her sister, along with her phone displaying the picture of Chris.

"what's this?" Piper asked

"Look at those two pictures, don't they almost look like mirror images" She said

"Yes, they do, " Piper stared intently at the two images "the resemblance is uncanny – who is the second photo of? It might help us find out who his family is"

"Peal off the post- its" Paige instructed

"Paige! We haven't got time for all this"

"Just do it"

"Alright" Piper tore off the little yellow strips, her heart plummeting as she revealed a picture of herself. "no,no, this can't be right" She stuttered. "It's just a coincidence.."

"Is it?" Paige arched an eyebrow "Think about it Piper, it makes perfect sense, he knew the house, the book, us, a witch/whitelighter hybrid intent on saving Wyatt…"

"Coincidences do happen…." She attempted lamely, despite the fact that all the pieces of the puzzle were suddenly fitting themselves together very rapidly.

"Piper you have a former whitelighter as an ex- husband, you're pregnant, Chris even called you mummy"

"He's young he was upset, confused.." she babbled. He couldn't be her son, because if he was then it would mean that she had actually called her own son a liar on several occasions and even told him to his face just a few short weeks ago that she didn't want to see him again. Those were not the actions of the loving mother that she professed to be, moreover those were not the actions of any human with a shred of decency.

"Chris" Paige picked up a third photo from the tray, a family photo this time, taken about 2 weeks ago. "Can you come here a second please?"

Chris obediently stood up and walked over to where Paige was standing. Paige bent down so that she was level with the child. "Chris, do you know who these people are?" she pointed to the photo "Can you tell me the names?"

Chris looked at the picture, and smiled, recognising his family. "Theres, Mummy and Daddy and Aunty Bee bee and You and.." he paused, looking at the blond haired baby. "…wy-yat"

His final words were almost drowned out by a loud sob from Piper, who immediately burst into tears. Chris looked up, a worried expression crossed his tiny face as her saw his mother so upset.

"No cry mummy, no cry" He toddled over to her and climbed on her lap. He rubbed her arm, trying to mimmick her earlier actions when he was upset. However this babyish attempt at an act of kindness only caused Piper to cry even harder, . She grabbed hold of him, pulling him into a fierce bear hug, running her hand through his shiny brown hair. "I'm so sorry Chris, I'm so sorry for everything" She began rocking him back and forth. "I'll make it up to you my precious little child, I promise"

Chris, not understanding what his mother was saying to him simply lay there, allowing himself to be rocked.

"Piper" Paige laid a hand on her sisters back "It's okay – we didn't know who he was"

"Not it's not!" She gripped Chris even harder "I near enough told my own child that I didn't like him, I 've been so awful to him when all he wanted to do was protect his brother and his family" She tried to visualise the adult version of her son, the version that she saw day in and day out, but all she could see in her minds eye was the face of toddler Chris, crying when he grazed his knees.

"But we can apologise now, make amends" Paige told her "here, why don't you let me.." she reached forward as if to take Chris

"No" Piper yelped,

Chris flinched at the sudden scream in his ear.

"Piper, this isn't very good for Chris is it?" Piper nodded silently, relinquishing the child into the arms of her sister.

"Hey Chris, want to go do something fun?" Paige asked

"Yes!" His little face lit up.

"Alrighty then" Paige headed toward the door of the attic "You come down when you feel better" she instructed her sister. "we'll be fine.

XXX

45 minutes later a dry eyed and slightly calmer Piper entered the kitchen. She still had a constant burning sensation of guilt in her stomach, one which wouldn't be assuaged until she spoke to adult Chris, but there was nothing she could do about that for the moment.

She found her youngest sister and her son sat at the table, various finger paintings drying on the surfaces as they worked together to complete another. Chris had blue paint on his forehead , green on his chin, and was working furiously on his picture, his little tongue hanging out of his mouth and his face twisted into a look of determination.

"Having fun?" she asked

"Looks" he pointed to his picture, Piper could see what appeared to be a snowman, as in it was two round circles on top of each other, with stick arms. The only exception was that it had two pieces of sting coming out of its head "It's you!" Chris told her triumphantly "Your head" he pointed to the top circle "Your tummy" he pointed to the bottom circle, as Piper glanced down at her swollen abdomen and smiled.

"so it is" she replied, ruffling his hair. "and where did the face paints come from?" she asked her sister.

"I may or may not have conjured them" Paige grinned.

"oh right" Piper merely nodded

"Hey guys" There was a shout from the front hallway as Phoebe entered the mannor.

"I'm home, I collected Wyatt from Dads on the way back" she made her way down into the kitchen "what's going on?"

"Aunty Bee Bee" Chris shouted upon seeing her

"Who with a…what now?" Phoebe almost dropped Wyatt in surprise.

"Chris" Piper turned to her son "Do you want to go play with Wyatt in the living room?"

"That's no Wyatt!" Chris exclaimed "Wyatt this big" He raised a hand about 2 inches above his head as if to indicate the fact that usually , Wyatt was taller than him.

"Yes, sweetie it is Wyatt" Paige told him as she lead the two of them out.

"What's going on?" Phoebe asked

"Well, York notes version" Piper settled herself upon a stool "The Galoon demon attacked, he was the power to reset a persons genetic clock so that they either revert to a child or become elderly, making the victim more vulnerable and easier to kill. Chris jumped in the way to stop me getting hit and bam! Results are as you see."

"oh and we also found out that he is our nephew" Paige added as she returned to the room "Let's not forget to tell Aunty Bee Bee that little fact."

"Firstly oh my god, _he's our nephew_! …though some things do make sense..now ugh,..how long is he going to stay like that?" Phoebe babbled

"I don't know" Paige replied, " we were looking it up when we discovered who he really was and then we kind of got side tracked"

"24 hours" Piper responded " I looked before I came down, he'll be fine tomorrow"

"Does Leo know?"

"I tried calling him about 20 minutes ago, but he hasn't responded" Piper sighed "Besides, I'd like time to get my head round everything before Leo gets involved, you know how he feels about Chris, he is going to seriously go off on one when he finds out"

"This is so weird" Phoebe exclaimed "but at the same time feels really right. Ahh baby Chris is going to be so cute when he's born, yes he is, oh yes he is"

"and so she starts" Paige rolled her eyes.

"Whatever" Piper slid off the stool "I'm going to go and spend some time with my son, try and make up for all the loathsome things I've done recently, even if his babyself is unaware"

XXX

Leo Wyatt had been stuck in meetings of the elder council all day. He had heard his wife's call, but it had frustrated him no end that he hadn't been able to respond. After all, her voice hadn't sounded very urgent. However upon leaving the meeting and learning that the Galoon demon had attacked the Charmed Ones, he immediately chided himself, and orbed down to earth.

He sensed for Piper and Wyatt, and reappeared in the Sunroom. Piper was sat on the sofa, a story book open in her lap, She had her right arm around a dark haired child who was cuddled up to her side, listening intently to the story and Wyatt was sat to her left, playing with a toy block.

"Piper" Leo called "I'm sorry I didn't answer your call I was in a meeting and.."

Leo was interrupted by Chris jumping down from the sofa "Daddy!" he screamed running toward his father and wrapping his arms around his legs.

"Um" Leo was shocked by this sudden display of affection by someone he presumed Piper was babysitting. "Who's this?" he asked his wife.

" Silly Daddy"Chris replied "It's me"

Leo leaned down and in what he hoped was a soothing voice said "Sorry Buddy,I think you've made a mistake , I'm not your Daddy,"

"You not my daddy?" Chris bottom lip began to wobble and his eyes filled with tears.

"Leo!" Piper exclaimed, Jumping off the sofa "Here peanut, come to me" she picked him up and held him in her arms , soothing his tears for the second time that day. "Daddy, didn't mean it, he is feeling a little poorly today"

Leo, stared at the scene, open mouthed in confusion. How in the space of 24 hours had they suddenly acquired a 2 year old who thought that he was their son?.

"You go play with Wyatt for a minute" Piper continued, tickling Chris' stomach before setting him down on the ground

"Yep" he giggled, and returned to the sofa. "I plays wiv you Wy"

."Piper" Leo began again " What's going on? Who is that child, I heard you were attacked by the Galoon demon,…"

"That child Leo, is our son, it's a long story, and yes, we were attacked by the Galoon demon, about 6 hours ago, thanks for asking"

"I didn't find out until I left my meeting. Did you vanquish it?"

"No, we were caught unawares and it got away, but.."

"Got away! But it could come back and attack you again at any moment! You should have been prepared, Chris should have been looking out for you. Where is he? Has he gone and left you again?"

"No, Chris _is_ here Leo," Piper said slowly, choosing her words carefully "Give him a break, he got injured in the attack"

"Give him a break! What if you had been hurt or worse? I'm going to have words with him, where is he?"

Piper took a deep breath "He's on the sofa".

"Oh so he.." Leo paused as he realised the significance of what she had just said.

"Oh no, no, no, no because that would mean that…because you said..…no. no no he can't be" Leo stuttered.

"Our second son?" she rested a hand on her stomach. "In the flesh"

"But he can't, it's Chris, he's a…a…"

"You don't even finish that sentence Leo Wyatt. He is our _son._ He is the brave little boy who travelled back in time so save his brother. He is not evil, he is not a liar, he is not untrustworthy, and the only thing he was hiding was his identity, and now that I know the truth I can't really say that I blame him. And we are going to start afresh with him. Got it?" There was a note in Pipers' voice that dared him to disagree.

"How did you find out" Leo asked, still stunned.

"Look at him Leo, I mean truly look at him" Piper instructed

Leo followed Pipers gaze over to the sofa, where Chris sat, laughing at something Wyatt had just done. It was then Leo saw it. That child, the brown shiny hair, the nose, the chin, the freckles, the mouth, he was a tiny male version of Piper herself. Except the eyes of course, because they were his. He stared open mouthed at the two children.

"Aside from obvious glaring physical similarity" Piper continued. " 2-year old Chris doesn't keep secrets so well. He called me mummy, and when shown a photo of us all, correctly identified daddy, Wy-yat and Auntys Bee Bee and Pay."

" How did we not notice before?" Leo puzzled.

"Because how many times have we ever seen adult Chris smile or genuinely laugh?" Piper asked "None, and Leo it breaks my heart that such a happy-go-lucky child turned into the haunted adult that we have seen." Her voice began to break "just how horrible must the future have been for him to change so much?"

"Hey come on now" Leo moved and placed his arms around her shoulders "You just said it yourself, we can start again and make it up to him. It'll be better this time, he will remain that happy child…."

"with a bit of neurosis thrown in, he is your son after all" Paige entered the room "sorry, is this a bad time? I'll um, go give Wyatt his bath if you like" The youngest charmed one picked up the blond haired child and orbed out.

"Hey buddy" Leo said as he and Piper approached Chris who had been left alone on the sofa "I'm sorry about what I said before. I didn't mean to make you sad"

"you my Daddy?"

"of course I'm your daddy"

"Good, cos I love daddy" Chris reached up wrapped his arms around Leo's neck, snuggled in for a hug, simultaneously wiping his nose over Leo's robes.

Leo felt the hot little arms around and a feeling of unconditional love for this child began to grow deep down within him. Although he head was still screaming '_But It's Chris!_" his heart at least was heading in the right direction.

"I just wish I knew it could be easy with the other version" Leo told Piper, who nodded in agreement.

"But that's tomorrows problem" she replied, as Leo drew her in for a group hug.

XXX

The following morning Leo placed Chris in the centre of his and Pipers' bed. "Just stay there a second buddy" he instructed.

"Yes Daddy" his second son replied placidly.

"what if it doesn't work," Piper looked at her watch nervously. "what if he doesn't change back?"

"Then we'll worry about it later..." Leo replied.

The chiming of the grandfather clock could be heard from downstairs.

"okay, it was just after 11 when he attacked because I remember that.." Pipers words were cut off by a scream and a beam of blue light.

"what the…?" Adult Chris sat on the bed looking dazed and confused.

"where's the demon? What am I doing here?" he babbled, taking in his parents room.

"Calm down Chris" Piper told him, "we summoned the demon last night and vanquished him"

"last night? How long have I been out?" he panicked

"You weren't unconscious exactly, more like 'substantially altered' " Leo explained

"Oh, no did the potion turn me into an OAP?" Chris groaned "did you have to clean my dentures, and mash up my food?"

"No, because the potion didn't age you.."

"..then it turned me into a baby?" Chris squeaked mentally trying to deduce which would be the worst of the two scenarios , geriatric him or 4 month old him. It was a tough one, the baby at least had the advantage in that it couldn't speak..

"Actually Chris, the um, potion turned you into a toddler" Piper told him.

"A toddler?" he exclaimed

"Yes, 2 ½ , 3 years old your mother reckons" Leo said

"3 years old!" Chris began "Great, how embarrassing, did…" he stopped, as his poor weary brain caught up with his mouth. _Your mother reckons..your mother…oh shit_

Immediately Chris' guard went up and his habitual hooded look came back. "What did you say?" he asked, his eyes narrowing and an accusatory tone to his voice.

"I said" Leo took Pipers' hand in his, "Your mother, as in my wife, as in one Piper Halliwell."

"Who told you that?" Chris tried to keep his voice devoid of emotion, but it was getting difficult, especially as part of him was relieved that his cover had been blown.

"You did" Piper took a step toward him, she reached out her hand to touch his cheek, but Chris brushed it away.

"You believe everything that a 2-year old says do you?" he turned away, he couldn't stand to see the gentle look in her eyes, the look he had craved so long so see, but now could couldn't bear to view .

"Christopher" she breathed, tears threatening to spill, her worst fears coming to life, that her child hated her. She sat down on the edge of the bed for support.

"Go away and leave me alone please" Chris continued to look out of the window.

"No" It was Leo who spoke this time " No, we will not go away" he moved to his wifes' side, placing a supportive hand on her shoulder. "I will not allow you to push us away"

"Won't _allow _it!" Chris spat, his attention still diverted, "now I know who Wyatt gets it from!"

"Christopher" Leo began again "You can get angry, cry , scream, throw things if you want, but it won't change the fact that we know you are our son. If you want to blame some one, argue with some one or pick a fight then do so with me, because I will not have you upsetting your mother like this"

"Upset..?" Chris spun round to find a despondent Piper, silent tears cursing down her cheeks, one hand rested on her stomach, the other dabbing at her eyes.

"no, Leo, I'm fine" She spluttered "if Chris doesn't want to talk that's ok" She stood up slowly. "He has every right to hate me" she reached the door.

"I don't hate you!" Chris shouted. Piper turned round. "I could never hate you"

In two strides he was across the room and at her side. He pulled a tissue out of his pocket, checked that it was clean, and then reached down and wiped the tears from her eyes. "You look a mess" he said gently.

"Don't be cheeky" she hiccupped, reaching up to touch his cheek again, she was relieved when this time he didn't brush her away.

"Chris…I…we…"

"Mum" The term slipped out without Chris even noticing "I meant it when I said, I didn't want to discuss everything right now"

"I know" Piper replied "but do me one favour?"

"what?" Chris was cautious

"Give me a smile?" She asked

"Huh?" Chris' mouth involuntarily turned upwards at the absurdity of such a request, allowing Piper the briefest of glimpses of the beautiful smile that had belonged to his younger version, and that hopefully would one day in the future still belong to the adult too.

The End


End file.
